Children's dental services

Pre-school

You should enrol your child with a dental therapist early, before their first birthday.

Call the dental clinic at your local school or Plunket, or ask your family doctor to find out how and when to enrol your child. Your pre-schooler should be seen at least once a year, more often if there are serious problems.

Primary school

When your child starts primary or intermediate school, the dental therapist attached to the school usually organises the enrolment.

Traditionally, dental therapists worked in clinics on school grounds, but now less than half have an on-site dental clinic. Children from the remaining schools attend by appointment at the on-site clinics at other schools and some DHBs use mobile clinics.

If problems are severe - for example if root canal work is required - the dental therapist may refer your child to a dentist. Treatment is free if the dentist is providing care under the Combined Dental Agreement; if not, you'll have to pay for the treatment. However, the Combined Dental Agreement doesn't include orthodontic work.

Your child can also receive free emergency treatment if the school dental clinic is shut, but you'll need to check that the dentist provides care under the scheme.

Teenagers

You can get free dental care for your teenage children if your dentist is signed up to the Combined Dental Agreement.

This provides free examinations, extractions and fillings (but you may have to pay for large tooth-coloured fillings in the back teeth). Preventive services, such as fissure sealant and fluoride treatment, are also provided free.

To enrol your teenager for free dental care you can pick up a form from a dental therapist, a dentist or your local district health board (DHB). Your DHB will have a list of dentists enrolled in the benefit schemes.